Ezra Klein

Rebecca Winthrop, thank you very much.

Rebecca Winthrop, thank you very much.

This episode of The Ezra Klein Show is produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld with additional mixing by Amin Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show's production team also includes Marie Cassione, Roland Hu, Elias Iskwith, Marina King, Jan Kobel, Kristen Lin, and Jack McCordick.

This episode of The Ezra Klein Show is produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld with additional mixing by Amin Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show's production team also includes Marie Cassione, Roland Hu, Elias Iskwith, Marina King, Jan Kobel, Kristen Lin, and Jack McCordick.

We have original music by Pat McCusker, audience strategy by Christina Samulowski, and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie Rose Strasser, and special thanks to Switch & Board Podcast Studio.

We have original music by Pat McCusker, audience strategy by Christina Samulowski, and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie Rose Strasser, and special thanks to Switch & Board Podcast Studio.

Today, we're re-airing an episode from The Archive, my interview with the author, the legend, Margaret Atwood.

Today, we're re-airing an episode from The Archive, my interview with the author, the legend, Margaret Atwood.

We first taped this episode back in February 2022, and I wasn't sure we'd ever really get to air it, because after we taped it, Russia invaded Ukraine, and we held it, and we held it, and we held it, and I was worried it would feel too out of date, given how much had happened in the world. But somehow it didn't age at all. And three years later, that's still true.

We first taped this episode back in February 2022, and I wasn't sure we'd ever really get to air it, because after we taped it, Russia invaded Ukraine, and we held it, and we held it, and we held it, and I was worried it would feel too out of date, given how much had happened in the world. But somehow it didn't age at all. And three years later, that's still true.

This episode, in weird ways, feels more relevant today than it does when we taped it. And I think that's one of Atwood's great gifts, this eerie prescience, which is one reason her work has proven so long-lived. When we spoke, she just published an essay collection, Burning Questions. And she has a new book coming out in the fall, Book of Lives, A Memoir of Sorts.

This episode, in weird ways, feels more relevant today than it does when we taped it. And I think that's one of Atwood's great gifts, this eerie prescience, which is one reason her work has proven so long-lived. When we spoke, she just published an essay collection, Burning Questions. And she has a new book coming out in the fall, Book of Lives, A Memoir of Sorts.

Margaret Atwood, welcome to the show. Happy to be here. So let's begin with this. Why do human beings think in stories?

Margaret Atwood, welcome to the show. Happy to be here. So let's begin with this. Why do human beings think in stories?

What do you think the disadvantage is of being a species that thinks in stories where information is more persuasive and a good story?

What do you think the disadvantage is of being a species that thinks in stories where information is more persuasive and a good story?

What makes a story believable?

What makes a story believable?

I mean, I worry my bank high skills are weak, so I might have practical objections to the plan.

I mean, I worry my bank high skills are weak, so I might have practical objections to the plan.